Fast Track Your Career With Accelerated Nursing Programs

This content was produced in partnership with Archer Education.

Medical education is different now. A drastic change has occurred with innovations in the industry transforming processes and procedures. Also, the shortage of medical staff in the past years has driven the need to accelerate medical education.

There has been a call to re-examine the length of training medical staff undergo. There are popular educational programs, such as the ABSN degree programs in Illinois, that students can look into. Accelerated programs aim to produce medical staff faster and more economically to curb medical problems.

Defining An Accelerated Nursing Program

An Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) is a program designed to prepare you to become a skilled nurse within 16 months. A second ABSN is designed for medical professionals with a bachelor’s degree in any other field who want to become registered nurses.

As a student, you're also likely to participate in a clinical immersion on campus with hands-on instruction to deal with medical emergencies. This will assist in building clinical skills in a simulation lab and provide direct patient care.

This full-time program prepares students for the nursing workforce as BSN ready medical staff. An online ABSN equally offers the required coursework followed by the on-campus residency and clinical hours mentioned above.

Admission Requirements

To earn your online ABSN, you’ll need the following:

• A bachelor’s degree
• Your resume
• Completed two of four science prerequisites for your application to be reviewed
• Science credits no older than seven years
• If credits are older than seven years, they will trigger an ATI TEAS or HESI admission exam
• You mustn’t repeat any science courses more than once
• A minimum grade C in all required coursework
• A minimum of 2.7 grade point average (GPA) in all coursework

Understand Why These Programs Are Unique

In a normal setup, a student must have 30-hour credits per year in a semester system. The shortened medical programs vary, with some schools offering academic credits for any work experience and classroom training done before.

On the other hand, some other schools will have heavier course loads and complete courses year-round. Each school tends to have its methods for acceleration programs. Here are a few characteristics that make these programs unique.

Accelerated Completion Time

An accelerated degree can take off a few months or years from your qualification. The amount of time saved depends on your past education and training. Another thing that determines the length is in-person academic requirements such as lab and clinical training.

The Prerequisites Are Essential

Some accelerated programs require that you have a minimum amount of work experience and have a prior degree or proof of licensure. All these prerequisites are essential in accelerated programs.

Great Flexibility in Completing Coursework

Online courses allow students from anywhere to acquire an education. They allow people with full-time jobs the flexibility of studying while they work. The internet has played a significant role in making this possible. Students can watch lectures and complete their assignments online. Most times, they require minimum clinical hours.

The Programs Are Fast-tracked

The pacing is intensified as students are allowed to take more courses in each academic period. You might find that instead of having class twice a week, the student might have class three or four times a week. There are also options to attend on holidays to catch up on any lost school work.

More Flexibility with Clinicals

Clinicals for accelerated programs are more flexible, with students being able to select when and where they want to do them. The practical element is essential to gain experience in real patient scenarios. These are commonly done under the supervision of a licensed and authorized medical professional.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of accelerated degree programs:

Advantages

• The fast learning option is very convenient for the working class.
• It's an excellent attribute for your resume. The accelerated program can be challenging, and this shows your employer that you work well under pressure and still achieve the best results.
• They have the potential to save money. Less time in school could mean less tuition fees.
• You get your qualification faster.
• They have the potential to increase your salary.

Disadvantages

• There are high admission standards.
• There's little or no time to catch up if you fall behind.
• The reading and workload may be heavy.
• Some students may find it hard to work and study simultaneously.
• Some students struggle to juggle these programs, their social obligations, and family.

These accelerated programs are a game changer in getting a medical qualification. The fact that you don’t have to sit in a classroom full time to get your qualification to work in the best medical institutions makes the qualification worthwhile and convenient.